It’s just as everyone predicted: Nebraska at Illinois for Big Ten supremacy

Today marks the first and perhaps only edition of the Big Ten Sixes, dividing its football teams into six good, six so-so and six bad.

GOOD

1. Illinois. Unbeaten, with a home win over Kansas. Getting ready for a battle of two ranked teams — and who saw that coming a month ago? — in Champaign Friday night against …

2. Nebraska. Northern Iowa began Saturday’s game at Nebraska with a 10-minute, 16-play drive that resulted in a field goal. Then the Huskers got the ball. Nebraska won, 34-3.

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3. Indiana. The Hoosiers won at UCLA, 42-13. It isn’t a reach to think they could be 8-0 when they go to Michigan State on Nov. 2. In fact, the only likely loss they have left is at Ohio State on Nov. 23. (It’s early.)

4. Rutgers. Beating Howard and Akron proves less than nothing, but it’s Rutgers and it’s 2-0, so let’s party.

5. USC. The Trojans beat LSU, which has salvaged the Big Ten from being totally dominated by the SEC this season.

6. Ohio State. The Buckeyes seem formidable.

SO-SO

1. Iowa. This week, the Hawkeyes play Minnesota for a bronzed pig named for the barber on the Andy Griffith Show.

2. Minnesota. Gophers players smoked cigars in the Kinnick Stadium pink locker room after beating Iowa last year. Coincidentally, smoke came out of Hawkeye fans’ ears because of the officiating.

3. Maryland. Winning at Virginia Saturday was salve after losing at home to Michigan State. We all need salve.

4. Northwestern. It really ticks me off that I won’t get to cover a game at Northwestern’s temporary, 12,000-seat stadium on the shore of Lake Michigan. I’m easily ticked off.

5. Michigan State. The Spartans (3-0) need to win at Boston College Saturday because they’ll enter an inferno the following two weeks by playing Ohio State in East Lansing and Oregon in Eugene.

6. Oregon. The Ducks make their Big Ten debut Sept. 28 at UCLA. Have the two met before?

BAD

1. Wisconsin. Alabama played at Wisconsin Saturday. The Badgers lost, 42-10. The two meet next year in Tuscaloosa. The two-game series was arranged in 2019. “I just felt that was something that our fans deserve,” then-UW Athletic Director Barry Alvarez said.

2. Michigan. The Wolverines are changing starting quarterbacks this week. It doesn’t look like they’ll repeat as national champs, does it?

3. Purdue. This is the first year Iowa won’t play Purdue since 2010, and it’s rotten luck for the Hawkeyes. The Boilermakers’ 66-7 loss to Notre Dame Saturday wasn’t as close as the score indicates.

4. Penn State. Barely beating Bowling Green on Sept. 7 is one reason for the 2-0 Nittany Lions being in the “Bad” group. Playing Kent State this week is the other, since the Golden Flashes are fresh off a 71-0 loss at Tennessee.

5. UCLA. A 42-13 home defeat to Indiana? It’s very possible the Bruins could go 0-9 in the Big Ten. It’s very possible UCLA football isn’t the most-entertaining show in southern California.

6. Washington. The Apple Cup left Seattle and went to Pullman Saturday after Washington State of the two-team Pac-12 beat Washington of the 18-team Big Ten. The Huskies have round-trip flights to New Jersey, Iowa, Indiana and Pennsylvania awaiting.

Comments: mike.hlas@thegazette.com